Omaha High Low Game is a nine-card hi-lo poker game that uses a dealer button, blinds and community cards. It is a form of Texas Holdem, except the players are dealt four hole face-down cards as their initial starting hand prior to the flop and five board cards as community cards. These cards are dealt face up in the center of the table.
Omaha poker can make a welcome change from Texas Holdem. But players switching to Omaha from Holdem often make the same common mistakes. Making moves that would be right in Holdem but that are wrong in Omaha. It
doesn't take long to adjust and stop but avoiding these common Omaha High
Low mistakes in the first place will help preserve your bankroll.
So you've taken the plunge and decided to try your hand at Omaha
High Low as well as Holdem.
You've heard all about the action, the big pots and the amazing winners everyone keeps making and figure its your turn to cash in.
You learn a little about the basics of the game, start playing and its true! The chips are flying, you keep making flushes and full houses and your bets and raises are being called. Its an exciting game, your bankroll is sitting pretty and you wonder why the hell you
didn't try Omaha High Low earlier!
For some it does work out like that and for everyone there will be the excitement of bigger pots and better hands. But with these bigger pots also comes the chance of losing money quicker.
Mistakes in early position are more expensive - When someone raises pre-flop many players will call in an early position when they
shouldn't.
In Omaha High Low, a pre-flop raise, especially in early position, often means the raiser is drawing to the nuts. Call too often and
you'll leak chips.
Beware of small sets - Flop a set in Holdem and you're usually onto a winner. Its not the same in
Omaha.
Small sets should be played a lot more cautiously in Omaha High Low than Holdem. They can win small pots but loose big ones.
Don't misread your hand - Blindingly obvious but misreading a hand is a common mistake in
Omaha High Low. Dont worry - everyone does it occasionally, even professional players. Each mistake will cost you so carefully check.
This principle can be extended to over cards in general. Any card on the board that is higher than any in your hand presents the very real possibility that it makes someone trips meaning they may also hold a higher full house than you if the board is paired.
A full house isn't always a good hand - If you hit a full house in Omaha always remember the chances are someone else has - or is at least drawing to one. Check the board. Full houses are beaten all the time in
Omaha High Low.
Don't assume you'll scoop the pot because you have one.
A crucial skill all winning Omaha High Low players have is the ability to throw away good hands.
Three suited cards on the board mean a flush! - In Holdem your top pair top kicker is very often good enough to win a pot even when there are three cards of the same suit on the flop.
In Omaha they wont be. If there are three suited cards on the board just assume someone has a flush.
This principle is summed up in a popular Omaha High Low saying - if a hand is possible its probable. This is far truer in Omaha
than Holdem. The nuts are needed far more often to win a hand.
Kickers are important - Flop a pair of Aces in Holdem with a J kicker and if
you're up against one other player you're probably winning if your opponent also has an Ace. In Omaha
your opponent has two extra hole cards to be holding a K or Q to beat you with. Therefore, if you fail to make a straight, flush or full house and for whatever reasons still think you may be winning passing is still the right move if you
don't have a top kicker.
